Illinois Books

Must rate this volume as the standard reference on the topic. This current edition supplants Ripley's "Artillery and Ammunition of the Civil War." I actually own copies of the original and revised editions. There are a few notable updates, making the second purchase worth the expenditure. While I have found some minor omissions in the listings (particularly discussing some of the poorly documented Confederate gun makers), the authors seem to leave few stones unturned.

Book was not what I expected it to be. I anticipated a thorough study of specific artillery types with color plates and detailed drawings, and with specific histories, usage, success, etc. This is not what I received. It was a hugh disappointment, considering the high price I paid for this book.

A very concise and thorough (almost an encyclopedia) book of the weapons of the civil war.

"Field Artillery Weapons of the Civil War" is the definitive reference work for civil war cannon used in the field. Nothing else approaches its structured grouping and organization of the diverse and confused world of American Civil War field guns. However, this is not a book for everyone since it is quite focused on the specifications, manufacturing origins and methods of the tubes themselves, not on the tactical employment, range charts, the batteries, or the projectiles they fired. (Understandably, many readers will be shocked if they don't realize this before purchase--including me!)

It is hard to over emphasize what a fine job the authors have done in bringing order out of chaos. Their encyclopedic inclusion and explanation of all known types solves many riddles. The complexity and nuances will still require considerable study by the reader to reach a full understanding, but at last it is logically and rigorously catalogued.

The chapter list is as follows: 1. Fundamentals. 2. Federal 6-pounder Guns and 3.67" Rifles. 3. Confederate 6-pounder Guns and 3-inch Rifles. 4. Federal 12-pounder Field Howitzers. 5. Confederate 12-pounder Field Howitzers. 6. Federal Napoleon Guns. 7. Confederate Napoleon Guns. 8. Parrott Rifles. 9. 3-inch Ordnance Rifles. 10. False Napoleons and Gettysburg Replicas. 11. The Small Ones. 12. Boat Howitzers. 13. James Smoothbores and Rifles. 14. The Rare Ones. 15. Too Big for the Field. 16. British Rifled Cannon. 17. Carriages. 18. Conclusions.

The chapters are well illustrated with photographs and schematics of the gun tubes. There are also detailed dimensional specification tables, and some estimated production counts of various types. Following the main text is an extensive set of appendices that serve as a catalog of known foundries, inspectors, designations, foundry numbers, weights, and locations of known survivors,

I highly recommend this work to anyone who wants to be able to identify nearly any Civil War field gun he/she comes across. However, I don't recommend it as a detailed work on the employment of Civil War field artillery--that is not the objective or nature of the book.

Note: The companion work for the heavy artillery is "The Big Guns. Civil War Siege, Seacoast, and Naval Cannon" by Edwin Olmstead, Wayne E. Stark, and Spencer C. Tucker. It follows the same format and style, but its availability is limited.

A comprehensive source of information on the field guns used by both sides of the american civil war. Provides each weapon's history and statistics. Extremely informative.

No civil war library should be without it.

An excellent companion to other book The Big Guns by Omstead and Wayne E. Stark and Spencer C. Tucker which covers the big guns of the conflict.

I am an avid Ghosthunters fan (TAPS on SciFi). I purchased this book hoping it would give me specifics about paranormal investigations/haunted locations in Illinois. The book is interesting in that it provides several locations that are reputed to be haunted. However, it is more disappointing in that the book offers no evidence of any investigations or "hunts". In every site story that I have read so far, I see a lot of the word "maybe" and or "perhaps". The author has clearly visited the sites, but has not had any personal experiences himself to build on -- he merely repeats stories he has heard from locals.

I would like to have seen something more from this book -- but it does still make me curious.

I decided to try this book, as I seem to have almost every other book written about ghosts in the Chicagoland area. What I most enjoyed about this book, is that John lives in Ohio. So he was a visitor to our state, while researching stories for his book. It was very well written, with pictures he provided. I enjoyed his writing so much, that his book on Ohio ghosts is in my wish list and I purchased his recommendation on the Indiana ghosts. I also appreciated that he contacted other ghost hunters and referenced them in his book.

This is a fine book about ghosts. What is most important about the author's book is its straight-ahead, honest approach to the topic. His comments and thoughts on ghosts, and their locale, is refreshingly enjoyable. The writing is concise and entertaining. This is an excellent reference on Illinois ghosts. John Kachuba is a first rate writer with a keen sense of the macabre, and he knows how to write about the paranormal!

John Kachuba is really good at telling

the places that he visited. Each story is

fasinating and he gives some interesting history

on the haunted places


~SkUrVy

I decided to purchase this book on a whim and I was pleasantly surprised. Most paranormal location books offer little more than brief historical overviews of each location and then the associated ghost story. In "Ghosthunting Illinois," Kachuba takes a more hands-on approach in that he's visited the locations personally. His book offers some historical information, the associated ghost stories, and interviews with people associated with the location (owners, tenants, parishoners, etc.). Beyond that, he also describes his trek through these locations by expressing how he felt, what he saw, etc. An even more compelling reason to purchase this book is the fact that it's very well written which stands to reason considering the author is a "creative writing" professor. Additionally, the book holds your interest and the chapters are short so it's a great "quick chapter before bed" type of book.

This superb collection shows now-gone buildings and architectural treasures of our beloved city's past. These remarkable black-and-white photos show famous vanished bridges, churches, buildings and arenas, including the Colesium (nominating site of four Presidents). The City's downtown and surrounding areas were rebuildt after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, in the largest building boom in U.S. history. Wood gave way to brick, steel, and concrete - the fire led to strict building codes - and many structures rose as the city expanded from 320,000 people in 1871 to 3.4 million by 1930. Readers learn about our city's history, plus the valuable contributions from world-famous architects and planners like Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan, Miles Van De Roh, Mortimer Adler, and Daniel Burham. Today, many call Chicago the nation's architectural marvel - yet we also lost many famous structures as this superb book shows.

I'd have liked more photos of rail structures (Chicago was and probably remains the world's railroad capital), but it's a minor flaw. This is a superb book about a great city and its architectural past.

The well written story and photos of Chicago are great. It was amazing the number of outstanding architectural building that were built and torn down in such a short number of years.
Having grown up in Chicagoland during the 40' & 50's, I found myself depressed to see such destruction - only to be replaced by glass and aluminum boxes. Even efforts to save the outstanding and much beloved main lobby at the Chicago and Northwestern station failed in the name of the almighty dollar!

First of all...Mr. Lowe obviously has a deep rooted love for our wonderful city of Chicago. Most importantly...he is ensuring future generations and historians the ability to reference so many facts. This simply said...is an incredible work of love and a dedicated effort.
Thank You Mr. Lowe...my children's children will know what an important part that Chicago has played as our nation grew and prospered.

L. Curt Erler Author of "Southside Kid"

Stunning photos of a beautiful city. This book is truly a step back to a time when buildings were built to withstand centuries, although tragically these examples did not. Chicago has some of the most impressive examples of architecture in the country and this book is a powerful archive of not only what the city was, but what it is today. I wish there was a similar book on the buildings of Detroit, many of which are sadly slipping into oblivion.

There is much to enjoy here even if one does not have a special interest in architecture. As a lifelong Chicagoan, I especially liked the photo of St. Stanislaus Kostka Church (p. 79) which occurs in the formerly Polish neighborhood that I grew up in. I also enjoyed the old maps of the Chicago area from the 1600's.

With the exception of Nietzsche, never has been philosophy been so much fun! Mist comes across to me as a romping Borges - by this I mean it is full of ideas and creative, as is Borges, but Miguel De Unamuno seems to have the almost girlish exuberance of the Spanish while the Argentinan stays more alof and academic.
Contemporary philosophy normally involves a trained vocabulary and historical understanding, but De Unamuno manages to make this an interesting story and throwing in bones for us to ponder. I often found myself pausing and chewing on my lip, lost in thought. Oh, and how I laughed! At one point the absent minded main character has fallen is asleep and is called to dinner by his servant. Wondering whether the voice was in his head or not he exclaims: "Psychological mysteries!"
It is a shame De Unamuno is not better known.

This is one of my favorite books of all time. It's about everything and nothing at the same time. It's a tragic love story, a philosophical quest, and a literary experiment all in one. An existential novel about how to write an existential novel! Unamuno's writing is both very funny and deeply insightful, and at the end, he has you questioning whether or not you yourself are alive. A mind-bending work, and one I have read again and again.

" Ni los recuerdos ni los suenos son tan efimeros como la NIEBLA"

This book deals with human emotions, thoughts and fears in a deep, meaningful and funny way. It has a little bit of everything, private conversations with God, the search for the true meaning of life, the quest to find an everlasting love, the fear of facing death, and the hardships that every single human faces during a lifetime.

I read it in Spanish, and I have to say it is one of the best written books I have read so far. Every single word is where it should be, and the story flows magnificently. Im sure that with a good translation this book won't lose its magic in English.

Although it deals with very serious topics, the story is simple, well written, funny, easy to read and with a very unexpected twist at the end...

It simply belongs to a class of its own.

Miguel de Unamuno was definitely ahead of his time. This is a wonderful book, full of great lines you'll be quoting (e.g., "The best mnemonic device is a notebook in your pocket."). The structure of this book is really unique, and the story is so unusual! The main character in the book wants to kill himself and the author won't let him, so the character argues with the author. Very twisted, very mind-bending, very wonderful. The writing is clever, the characters are familiar but I've never met them before, and the style is engaging. I'm off to read more Unamuno!

This is the typical novel that when in schooldays, the Teacher order the pupils to read it. And obviously, you do (or you pretend that you do) without paying very much attention on what you read. Sometimes this novel do not appear in the Compulsory Lecture Program, and you escape from it. This is what happened to me...
Later, a friend of yours (in my case it was my partner) recommends you to go over it again, and you discover a Gem.
There are very little things than can be said about the plot, the characters, the language... because I risk to spoil the whole experience of reading it. But I would not avoid saying that Unamuno was one of the most clever writers that ever existed in my country (everyone has heard of him here), and that in "Mist", mostly all things that worries the Human being, such as love, relationships between men and women, marriage, the Meaning of life, the aim of Literature itself... is within its pages, and that is exposed in a very surprising and entertaining way.
As every Masterpiece, it admits many different lectures and points of view, and it might be a very good piece of literature to be discussed in one of those Book Clubs that are so popular in the States.
Trust me: Read it and you won't be disappointed.

Having lived literally across the street from the north entrance of Mount Carmel for 3 years several years ago, I was excited to see a book written about it. The content I thought was great. I learned all about the monuments I saw everyday from my apartment window. What really bugged me were the errors in dates. For example, on page 72 it is written that James Vincent Gibaldi "was born on July 2, 1903 in Licata, Italy" and that he "arrived at Ellis Island in 1906 at the age of one". Huh? He only aged one year over the course of three? On page 76 it is noted that William 'Willie' Heeney was born February 13, 1887 and died July 13, 1951. According to the text, he "died of throat cancer at the age of 61". My math would put him at 64. These were just a few of several obvious errors I saw and it got me wondering how many more of the "facts" presented elsewhere in the book were accurate. It really ruined the enjoyment of the book for me, because now I don't know what is true and what is not. I don't know if it was the author or the editing, but someone should have really double-checked this book before publishing it.

Jenny Floro-Khalaf and Cynthia Savaglio have done a marvelous job with this Images of America volume. They don't rely on the procession of beautiful, crisp images to tell the stories of the political, social, and underworld figures buried in the Mount Carmel and Queen of Heaven Cemeteries. The accompanying text is written in a clear and concise style that yields more information than the mere captions I've seen in other volumes of this sort. Highly recommended.

This small book is richly illustrated with the architecture of the cemeteries. The reader also gets insights into the customs involved in funerals. For instance, visiting the cemetery was once a regular Sunday-afternoon outing, and the Catholic Church lifted the ban on cremations in 1963.

Both famous and non-famous people are buried in these graves. Many are children who died at a time when child mortality had still been common. Those interred include sports figures such as Elmer "Moose" Vasko of the Chicago Blackhawks, and Father Martin Jenco, a onetime Beirut hostage. It is sobering to realize that the grave of Al Capone not only gets visited, but also that people leave such things as cigars, cash, and religious medals on it (p. 59).

Considerable detail is devoted to the aftermath of the Our Lady of the Angels School Fire of December 1958 (pp. 91-98). There are many photos of the victims and the funerals. All 3 of the nuns killed, along with 11 children, are buried at Mount Carmel. Another 45 children are buried at Queen of Heaven Cemetery. This leaves 36 child victims buried elsewhere.

As an amateur history/crime buff and cemetery enthusiast, I made 2 pilgrimages to Chicago in the early to mid 90's, and a major part of the reason was to visit this historic cemetery, the mid-west counterpart to St. John's in Queens, NY...popularly known as the "Mafia's Boot Hill" (the other major reason was to visit the Biograph Theatre, which is still in operation and is the place where John Dillinger met his end in 1934). On the first trip, I was unable to find Al Capone's grave and called the front office to enquire as to its location. They were polite, but firm in their unwillingness to enlighten me. Finding the tombs of Dion O'Banion, Hymie Weiss, and the Genna brothers was relatively easy but Big Al remained elusive. On the second trip, I used a photograph from the then-recent biography by Robert Schoenberg as a guide (tomb is near an iron fence in the photo), and some instinct, or maybe it was Al's ghostly influence, guided me almost immediately to its location near the elaborate front gate. Obviously, a lot of other people had found it too, as most of the grass in front of it had been worn away. It was discouraging in the extreme to learn that proper respect or decency to the dead (whether Al Capone or anyone else) hadn't been shown and that Al's gravestone had twice been stolen. As I stepped away to unobtrusively (and respectfully) take a picture, a black Cadillac pulled up, and a young muscular guy helped an older gentleman with 2 canes out of the car and over to the grave to pay his respects. Was he an old associate and friend? A rich eccentric? Who knows? My only complaint with the book is that it neglects to showcase the tombs of other notorious figures buried there, including those of Tony the Ant Spilotro, Turk Torello, Fiore Buccieri and Mad Sam DeStefano (all of whom I was able to locate without the difficulty that attended the finding of Mr. Capone's final resting place). I spent hours in this magnificent cemetery but could have spent days, and I guess the same thing could be said for this book. No matter how thick or packed with photos, it still probably would not be sufficient for some. Having said that, it's still a wonderfully-illustrated, exhaustively-researched tome and should be in the library of everyone interested in historic cemeteries, architecture, art and sculpture, the religious and ethnic heritage of the city...even if you've never been near Chicago and don't ever intend to. Even if you're not interested in the notorious figures buried here (or some of the distinguished clergymen), it's still a beautiful and aesthetically-fascinating cemetery and this book is a worthy tribute to it and the people buried there.

Prowling cemeteries searching for the graves of the famous and infamous is cheap and enlightening entertainment. I have to admit my main interest in this book was chapter four entitled "Gangsters in Granite." I have visited Mount Carmel and Queen of Heaven Cemetery twice in search of the graves of the infamous gangsters from the 1920's and found all but one, Machine Gun Jack McGurn even though I knew what stone to look for. Jack is supposed to be located somewhere in Section O. This book includes all of those whose graves I took photos of with a nice description of each. I would have liked if the graves of Roger Touhy and Jake Lingle had been in the book as well. Both men also reside at Mount Carmel. It is well to keep in mind that behind the name of each stone is a story even though it may not be well known to the world. For those looking for Al Capone enter the cemetery from Roosevelt Road. To the right the name "Capone" is hidden behind some shrubbery. Just a pop fly away as you enter the cemetery and turn to the left is the grave of Frank "The Enforcer" Nitti or "Nitto" on the headstone. Near the Bishops' monument are the graves of several other bootleggers who met an early demise. Kudos to the individuals who put this book together.

I just got done reading this book.Although I was skeptical at first because I get bored easy.I dont know if it was because I know the authors son or if it was Mr.Courtney's quick wit that kept me glued.I found myself asking the same question,"is Courtney going to ever take this war serious?"Through his faith in God and himself,I believe that is the reason he made it home.What I've learned from this book is that.Lifes a journey embrass it and live life to fullest.I will be keeping this book for my children to read.Thanks Kelly for the recommendation.And thank you Mr.Courtney for my freedom and my childrens:)

The thing that aways amazes me is how many really good memoirs have come out by veterans of WW2. The extraoridnary events that they lived through made such indelible impressions that very similiar stories can be told by countless story tellers and they always seem fresh. This is a very descriptive well written account and the author comes across as the kind of guy you'dove to meet. Highly recommended.

My father served in Co G, 104th Regiment 26th Infantry - a sister company to the author's. He refused to talk about the war. When he passed away in 1990, I found his short written memoirs penned during recuperation from wounds suffered in Germany while in an English hospital. Reading this book alongside his memoirs was an incredible experience for me. It filled in many blanks by being much more complete - yet was absolutely true in time, place, and tone with my father's notes. It was like he came back and finally decided to tell me his stories. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Richard D Courtney's 'Normandy to the Bulge' book is a well done account overall. Courtney was a Pfc with the Yankee Division (26th Infantry) in a 57mm gun platoon. Unfortunately the author does not go into too much detail on the various combat actions he was invloved in but there are a few tidbits I thought you might find interesting.

-The 57mm gun had removable gun shield extensions. He said most folks would take these off after awhile because the extra weight and having them bang around was annoying. They figured the thin metal wouldn'd help much against enemy fire anyway. Might be nice for some divirsity to have a few of your 57mm guns without shields.

-He talks a lot about the 'truck' that pulled the guns. He finally states it was a 1 1/4 ton truck. He never mentions half-tracks at all.

-Every enemy tank he mentions is a Tiger! I can't believe they all were so I wonder if this was just lack of detail on his part, foggy memory, or the old cliche that every American thought the German tank they were facing was a Tiger?!

-He notes the ineffectiveness of the 57mm gun against tanks and how they had to try and get side shots. They relied a lot on the TDs to do the real work. He was with the gun through the very end of the war. He talks about acting as infantry a lot with the guns left somewhere especially towards the end of the war.

-He mentions that the German AT guns were very well balanced and easy to move by just two guys. The 57mm gun he said was very unbalanced and very heavy and awkward to move even with four guys.

My dad was in M, Co. 104th Rgt. same as author. I lost him on Memorial Day 1969 before he ever had a chance to discuss his experiences as I was only 20. I have been searching for people who were there, and in finding this book, it showed me very clearly how proud I am of him. Thank you Richard for sharing this with all of us.

Cooper does a great job of detailing today's high school students' experience. Some parts of that experience are universal and regardless of the background of the reader, they will be able to identify with some portion of the protagonists' lives - whether they want to remember those high school days or not. At the same time, Cooper deftly notes what is new, not least of which is technology and Starbucks. These compelling stories are literally illustrated with Cooper's distinct and appealing artwork.

This book came across my desk and it took me a while to even open the cover. It's about high school after all - I was happy to have forgotten high school. I was surprised, however, to find myself enjoying the way Cooper presented the students' stories. They may be seventeen, but they're human. I enjoyed watching them struggle after already having gone through it. Though I think many of them have more grace than I ever did (still?). Short version - I liked the book and would recommend it.

Cooper follows up his witty "Crawling: A Father's First Year" with another gem. In "R/H/T/C", he entertains with the narrative of eight Chicago high school students through their senior year, capturing the challenges of self-absorbed adolescence as I had forgotten it. He shows these kids for who they are, avoidig tempting cliches, instead weaving in his trademark wit and analogisms. I often found myself laughing out loud. The book brought back memories of classmates of old, and a little bit of myself in one of the characters (but im not telling which one!). A really enjoyable read.

As an adult reading ridiculous/hilarious/terrible/cool, one can't but help to be taken back to the days in high school. And, to feel fairly relieved not to be there again. The excitement of having your whole life in front of you, but also the angst of an uncertain future and the peer pressure to underachieve, as well as the complications of being a youth in 2008 -- all these things come through via the subjects of Cooper's book, and Cooper does a great job of presenting them in a (fairly) dispassionate light so that the reader can more experience than judge the happenings. As a father of a <1 year old girl, I read ridiculous/hilarious/terrible/cool thinking all the while of what lies ahead for my little girl and thinking, "can I keep her a toddler all her life??" but also realizing that the enormity of the exciting experiences that await her!

I was riveted by this carte-blanche-access account of real teens in a real school. "American Teen" has nothing on Cooper! I highly recommend this alternately heartbreaking and hopeful story.

I read True Detective after reading several of Collins' later Nathan Heller books. Collins writes this series as an amalgam of historical accuracy with his protaganist (current private eye, former Chicago police detective Nathan Heller) interacting with the real characters of the era depicted. In this one we are in Chicago and meet the likes of mobsters like Capone and Nitti, crooked cops, grafting politicians, and good guys like boxer Barney Ross and Elliot Ness to balance the score.

Collins knows how to tell a good story. The historical detail is accurate and adds to the feel of the tale. The pictures he paints of the World's Fair, the shantytowns, etc., put you in the book. The plotting is thorough, the situations believable, the dialogue true, and the characters feel real, especially Heller as he struggles to do the right thing in a world full amibiguous situations where "right" can be tough to figure out given the conflicting viewpoints.

To say that the characters feel true sounds odd given that most are public personalities. Yet, a less skilled writer could make them hackneyed and two-dimensional. Here they have depth enough to carry their roles naturally, without forcing situations. You learn enough about each of them to make sense of their motivations and behaviors, yet the story never gets lost in irrelevant details.

When I'm done with a novel of his I feel I've learned more about the characters from history and more about myself as I go through the moral rollercoaster with Heller. And before I forget, there's plenty of humor, sex and violence to keep things interesting.

Read the series, in order if you can. This is one of the best going.

True Detective is the first faction in the Nate Heller PI series-
which I think is in a class by itself;it's a crime that this series hasn't landed-at least as a TV series-forget that,it would make an incredible movie.But I still have a bone to pick with Collins;after the first few novels in the series(be sure to
read True Detective,True Crime & The Million Dollar Wound),just about my favorite real-life character-and Nate's best buddy-real
life Hall of Fame boxer/war hero Barney Ross is used less and less;I could punch Collins for that.

Max Allan Collins' first novel in his acclaimed Nathan Heller series, True Detective, is a stunning mix of fact and fiction. The setting is 1930s Chicago and Collins paints the city of that time with a bold brush. Heller is a city cop who gets roped into a messy situation by his fellow officers. When he ends up killing a man with the same gun Heller's father used to commit suicide, Nathan's own, that's the last straw that leads to Heller quitting the force, despite the efforts of the higher-ups to get him to reconsider.

But working as the president of your own detective agency (called "A-1" so it will appear first in the telephone directory) is by no means boring -- not when your best friend is Eliot Ness and you have connections to Frank Nitti, Al Capone, mayor Anton Cermak, Walter Winchell, George Raft, and a young future actor who goes by the name "Dutch" Reagan.

Collins took five years to research the place and time and this, combined with his immense storytelling skill, make True Detective an immersive experience. The World's Fair comes alive in his hands, as do the characters, who have never seemed so real (even in The Untouchables) as when they are dealing with the fictional Nathan Heller. I plan to repeat this experience soon with the sequel, True Crime, and I think I'm about to become very familiar with the exploits of Nathan Heller.

From the first few words, I knew that Max Allan Collins had written one of the best crime/detective novels I had ever read. Before long, I dropped "one of" and decided it is THE BEST! Characters rise off the pages into "real" life, while the action grabs you and carries you along. If you like the tough, but believable, private eye, this is a landmark book for you. Don't just read it. Buy it!

Collin's novel is the ultimate re-examination of the 1930s private detective. It is full of drama, action, and deep historical context.

Should be required reading for the human race.

True to the topic, it transports you right there. Historical and old, but still current.

I thought this book was one of the best books Ive ever read it describes how people feel and view the world from inside themselves but can never express this externally or even realise they are thinking these things themselves.

For me It depicts how inadequate we all are men and women, when it comes to Love, and expressing it and sharing it. it flumoxes us all, Its too big for us, "the chickens had more sense"....pass the worms please.

Written about a South African farm. this book depicts the story of a family and how they interact throughout the book. The most striking dynamic in the book is the relationships of the women in it. It portrays female existence in a realistic light even for today. The story has a lot of character to it, and I would recommend it highly for teachers who want to teach about feminism.

Although I had to read this book for a college class, I would read it again in a second, I feel that I can only gain more and more from this book through rereadings. Its plot is at times disjointed to the style of the author and the message she is attempting to convey, so for those who are looking for a strongly Dickensian or "feel good" read, this is most likely not the book for you right now. But for me, from an analytical and heartfelt standpoint, the subtlety of the book and its beauty and its truth made me tear up a little bit. I'm currently writing a paper on Waldo and his artistic and personal growth throughout the novel, so maybe I'm a little biased, but although Lyndall is an incredibly interesting and advanced character, I think Waldo is often glossed over as merely suffering from a religious crisis of faith, and, being a man, not deserving of attention in this novel of the "New Woman". But Waldo ultimately reaches a place of amazing peace and understanding, and the lives of Waldo and Lyndall intertwined together is truly beautiful.

"Story of an African Farm" is a difficult work to describe. It must be read several times, and carefully pondered before all of its secrets are unlocked.

Ostensibly, the book revolves around the lives of three children (and, later, adults) who live in the Karroo plains of South Africa. The main focus, however, is on two of the characters - Waldo, the earnest and deeply curious son of the German farmkeeper, and Lyndall, the beautiful, outspoken and rebellious orphan who suffers all her life for her ideals.

The book itself is semi-autobiographical. Waldo represents Schreiner's journey from fanatical, childlike faith to bitter skepticism, who reaches a watershed of sorts when he hisses to Lyndall 'There is no God - none!'. Lyndall, on the other hand, embodies Schreiner's frustation with her station as a woman - barred from the upper echelons of society, and her inability to find a mate who is both her intellectual match and willing to accept her as an equal. "I want to love", she whispers to the grave of Waldo's father, "I want something great and pure to lift me to itself."

There are many other themes that flesh out the subtext of this extraordinary book - the tragedy of solitude, that ultimately, all humans are alone in the cosmos. "Dear eyes", the dying Lyndall whispers to her mirror, "they will never part us."

Readers who expect a narrative will be dissapointed. What narrative there is serves only to undersore the book's many themes. Often, the flow of the story is out of sequence, or devoid of context, and deliberately so. Roughly, the book is divided into three sections - the first introduces us to the characters as children, and reveals their innermost thoughts. The second, and shortest section is entitled "Times and Seasons". It is somewhat of a summary of what has gone before, dealing mostly with Waldo's journey from Christian fanaticism to dispairing atheism, and foreshadows some of what is to come. The third, and longest section, covers the lives of the characters as adults, and is by far the most powerful, and moving piece of the book.

The reader who is looking for mindless action is advised to pick up the latest Tom Clancy novel, or whatever passes for literature these days. Those who are willing to put aside all preconceived notions, and have their cherished beliefs challenged are invited to read this book. The search for truth is endless. But this book is a perfect place to begin.

Through the eyes of this avid reader, a 4th grade teacher and a camp director for middle school age students for over 20 years, I can confidently say that not only will adults enjoy this book, but so will teens. Too often the subject of death/loss and teen angst is ignored or introduced at the end of stories (ie Bridge to Terabithia, Where the Red Fern Grows, etc.). Here is a refreshing book that deals with these issues from the first chapter. There is enough baseball, mystery and friendship issues/adventures to capture even a teen boys attention. Fellow teachers: this story has great potential for some in depth (middle/high school) classroom discussions and writings in areas such as; loss, bullying and love (romantic/family/friends). On top of all of this, a mysterious character and ending to challenge/engage even an adult's discussion group. I highly recommend this book.

Over a ten day period during the summer of 1955, fourteen-year-old James Sayer learns a lot about friendship, racism, family, death, and how forgiveness always comes at a price.

It's been over a year since James's younger brother, Brand, died. Brand suffered from a rare blood disease, and everyone knew that he probably wouldn't grow into adulthood. But Brand didn't die from his disease, at least not directly, and although no one else seems to blame James for his brother's passing, he certainly blames himself. His beloved brother's death has left a hole in his heart, and he's not the same happy-go-lucky teen that he once was. He no longer has any interest in baseball, which was an activity that he and his brother shared together. Drawing, another shared interest, has been pushed by the wayside, abandoned.

Until James gets a job working at the fair for the summer alongside his friend Costello, serving ice cream at Mr. Curren's stand. Along with their other friends, G-Man and Fizz, James hopes to spend the summer working hard, avoiding the baseball games that he'll inevitably be asked to join, and staying out of trouble.

Unfortunately, that doesn't work out as well as he'd planned.

First, there are girls. Namely, a girl named Paige, who he can't seem to get enough of, even though she irritates him constantly. Then there's G-Man and the girl he loves, Marie, which causes tons of trouble since G-Man is black and Maria is white. Then there's the group of bullies in town, led by Black-Eye, who likes to make trouble anywhere he can find it.

Slowly, though, James finds these strange days of summer changing everything he knows about life and love, of tolerance and diversity, and of blame and forgiveness. For James, these ten days during 1955 might just be the turning point that he's been waiting for.

Author Jonathan Zemsky has penned an emotional story that will take you back to the past, when tensions ran high and going to the fair was the highlight of any young boy's summer. With the sounds of baseball all around you and the smell of the fairgrounds drifting in the air, BEYOND THE SHADOWS OF SUMMER is a sweet, sentimental read that you're guaranteed to enjoy.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Wardrip, aka "The Genius"

I blew through this book in two days. Once you start you cannot put it down. It contains drama, tragedy, comedy and also a little supernatural. I absolutely loved it and I hope this author has many more like it in the future.

When you read the brief description of "Beyond the Shadows Of Summer", you might mistakenly think that this is a story for adolescents or teens, but you'd be wrong. This is a book for men and women, boys and girls of all ages. Whether you're a teenager that can relate to the book or an adult that has this book conjure up memories, it is for everyone.

This is a story about first love, the tragic loss of a loved one, and the life altering experiences that you can go through due to both experiences.

The book, at 188 pages, is a quick read and after the first few pages, you'll be surprised at how quickly you get to page 188.

Having a teenaged son, I'm a few years removed from a lot of the experiences that the main character, James goes through...but thanks to the fine writing of Mr. Zemsky, I felt as if most of these experiences happened only yesterday.

The only negative I can think of, is that the book had to end.

Great storyline. The author manages to keep you entertained from start to finish. The characters are interesting and well developed which adds to the moral dilemmas that pop up throughout the book. An enjoyable read.